Love is a Curse
by Fallon4Felton01
Summary: I'm not so great at summaries but this is a HermioneDraco fic and it's their last year at hogwarts and they are head boygirl. Will sharing a room for a year change the way they feel about eachother? READ AND REVIEW, PLEASE!
1. Surprises

A/N: Okay if all goes well then this will be a super fan fiction! After you're done reading  
  
then please review..it only takes a minute and it would be much appreciated...  
  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters but I wonder how much they'd  
  
sell for on E-Bay...  
  
On with the story!!  
  
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An eeire silence loomed throughout the Great Hall. It was dark and only one man's footsteps   
  
could be heard. He slowly made his way up to the front of the room and stood for a moment  
  
smiling to himself and enjoying the final moment of peace. With a simple snap of his fingers,  
  
the room lit up and extraordinary decorations lined the room. The heavy doors slowly opened  
  
and hundreds of students began filing in. The Great Hall was once again filled with busy   
  
chatter as new students 'ooed' and 'ahhed' at the magnificent sight before them and returning  
  
students reaquainted themselves with the place that marked the official end of summer.  
  
Somewhere in the sea of black cloaks, one boy impatiently pushed his way through the   
  
crowd. Ignoring cries from younger students after they were helplessly thrown to the side, he   
  
confidently continued on.  
  
"Hey, watch where you're going!" Snapped a small first year at the blond head of hair that  
  
was quickly proceeding through the enormous group of people. The head stopped and spun   
  
around faster than the young boy expected. Within an instant, he faced a set of cold grey eyes  
  
that flashed with anger.  
  
"What did you just say?" He spat through gritted teeth. The smaller boy wouldn't budge. He glared  
  
back at the face just inches from his own.   
  
"You heard me. Who gives you the right to shove everyone else around?"   
  
The blond's fair skin began to flush with anger as the corners of his lips curved up slightly to form  
  
a deadly smile. A look of amusment danced across his face but his eyes remained cold as stone.  
  
"You must not know who I am," He said quietly. "The name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. Perhaps   
  
you've heard of me?"  
  
The young student's eyes grew wide with fear as he quickly began to retreat.  
  
"I'm...er...terribly sorry, Mr. Malfoy. Had I known who you were, I would have treated you with the...  
  
uh...um...respect you deseve!" The boy continuted on but as everyone knows, Malfoys don't ever  
  
waste their precious time listening to incessant rambling.   
  
He finally shoved his way to the Slytherin Table where fellow students sat and awaited his arrival.  
  
Applause broke out from a group of Slytherins at his noted presence. A cocky smile naturally   
  
appeared on his face as he took his place at the table.  
  
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At the same, a certain girl in her seventh year rolled her eyes from across the room.  
  
"All hail the Mighty Malfoy," Hermione declared in a mocking tone. "I just don't get it. He treats people  
  
like shit and still gets worshipped like a king."  
  
"They're afraid of what he might do to them if they don't idolize his greatness," her friend   
  
commented with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. His green eyes shone with disgust from behind his   
  
round glasses.  
  
"This year I say we give him what he deserves!" Their friend piped up from the other side of the table.   
  
"I mean...it's our last year here so we'd better make it our best!"  
  
"Ron, you're crazy," Hermoine said with a sigh and Harry laughed. Ron smiled.  
  
"I might be crazy but I do know that this year is going to be the best." And the others agreed. There was   
  
nothing that could happen to ruin such a promising year.  
  
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After the new students were sorted and the feast was devoured, Hermione sat and waited for   
  
Harry and Ron to finish their meals. She began to drift off in deep thought. A soft tap on her shoulder  
  
brought her back to reality as she spun around to find herself face to face with none other than  
  
the Headmaster himself.  
  
"Hello, Professor!" She said cheerfully. "How have you been?"  
  
"I've been fine, thanks. I have come to deliver some good news to you. I made a decision on my   
  
choice of Head Girl and I hope that you will be willing to accept the position. You are the most   
  
eligible student and it'd be a crime to give the privilege to anyone else," Dumbledore announced,  
  
eyes twinkling. Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had worked so hard for the  
  
past seven years to be Head Girl.It had been her dream for so long and it was coming true before  
  
her very eyes. Her expression must have said it all because Dumbledore nodded and smiled.   
  
"I'll take that as a yes. Come now, and I'll show you to your room."  
  
Harry and Ron congratulated Hermione as she stood in a daze and automatically followed   
  
Dumbledore out of the Great Hall and up numerous flights of stairs. After what seemed like  
  
forever, they stopped in front of a portait of a young woman with long blond hair and glowing blue eyes.  
  
"Password, please?" She asked in a soft, gentle voice.   
  
"Dumbledore," He promptly responded and the portrait swung opened. "Okay, Hermione, I'll leave   
  
you at this point. You go ahead in. Your belongings have already been delivered." He gave her  
  
one last smile and he turned to return down the winding stairways.  
  
"Thank you," Hermione said graciously as she watched Dumbledore proceed into the shadows.   
  
She turned her attention back to the open portrait before her and took a deep breath before entering.  
  
What she saw went beyond her wildest dreams. It was perfect. No, it was better than perfect. It   
  
was Heaven. There was a small fireplace in one corner with large, dark red couches surrounding  
  
it. In another corner sat an enormous desk fully equipped with everything an outstanding student  
  
would need to excell in school. Next to the desk stood the biggest bookcase Hermione had ever   
  
seen. On the other side of the room was an enormous sized bed that seemed big enough for five   
  
people. Hermione noted a door located on the wall by the bed and was sure it led to the bathroom.  
  
But before she could admire any more of the room, the doorknob turned and the bathroom door  
  
swung open revealing a dark figure Hermione couldn't make out.   
  
"Who's there?" She questioned, not sure if she wanted a response. A moment of silence and then:  
  
"Well, well," The figure replied coldly. "If it isn't mudblood Granger."  
  
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A/N: Okay, so what did you think? It's my first fan fiction and I know it could use some help...Please  
  
review and let me know if you really like it....or just let me know if I really suck! If i get some reviews   
  
I'll continue so just tell me what you're thinkin!! 


	2. Confrontations

A/N: Hey! Thanks to those of you who reviewed...the nice comments made  
  
my day! Again, this is my first fan fiction and i'm not completely   
  
sure where it's going yet...after you read it, review and if you have   
  
any suggestions as to what you want to happen, let me know! Thanks again!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!  
  
Disclaimer: No, I do not own any of the characters but I wonder how much  
  
it would be to buy Draco on E Bay...  
  
And now....On with the story!  
  
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Last Chapter:  
  
"Who's there?" She questioned, not sure if she wanted a response. A moment of silence and then:  
  
"Well, well," The figure replied coldly. "If it isn't mudblood Granger."  
  
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A chill ran up Hermione's spine as she gazed off into the darkness. With a   
  
greeting that vile, the boy still shrouded in shadows could only be...  
  
"Malfoy?" Hermione asked, voice quiverring.   
  
"My goodness, Granger. It must have been wits like that that got you the all  
  
powerful title of Head Girl!" Malfoy sneered, stepping into the light and   
  
revealing himself for the first time.  
  
Automatically, Hermione took a few slow steps backwards. The elation she   
  
had experienced just minutes before seemed to grow more and more distant  
  
with every step she hesitantly took. A suffocating silence filled the   
  
room as he stared at her, daring her to speak. She desperatly fought an   
  
internal battle in an attempt to gain control of her fears. Suddenly   
  
grasping confidence she wasn't even sure she had, Hermione found her voice.  
  
"Get out of my room, Malfoy," she said quietly. He laughed that horrible   
  
laugh that uncomfortably echoed in Hermione's head.  
  
"This room is just as much mine as it is yours! Aparently, you don't   
  
know why I'm here. C'mon, Granger, you're a smart mudblood. Figure   
  
it out," Malfoy spat,lips twisted in an awful smirk.  
  
Hermione hardened her glare. Her cheecks flushed with anger as hatred   
  
dwelled in the pit of her stomach. Mudblood. The repulsive word always   
  
made her feel as though she had been punched in the stomach. Tears   
  
formed in her dark eyes as she blinked to fight them back. If he saw   
  
her cry then he'd win and she'd rather die right there then let that   
  
happen. But what had he said before that? 'This room is just as much   
  
mine as it is yours.'How was that possible? She was head girl! The  
  
only way Malfoy could also be assigned to this room was if....But   
  
that couldn't be right.   
  
"This is all a mistake," she thought to herself. "Just a joke! Malfoy   
  
can't actually be head boy..."   
  
But as she gazed into his mesmorizing silver eyes, she knew this was no   
  
joke. Malfoy was head boy and there was nothing Hermione could do about  
  
it. Her heart sank as she felt the harsh reality of her situation. She  
  
was stuck sharing a room with Malfoy for an entire year. Her final year  
  
at Hogwarts was going to be Hell and there was no way out. Hermione's  
  
eyes burned with fresh tears as she quickly wiped them away with her  
  
sleeve.  
  
"Oh, don't cry about it! Every girl in Hogwarts would die to be put in  
  
your position...being forced to share a room with me! And what do I get  
  
stuck with? A filthy mudblood. A filthy...fucking...mudblood." Malfoy   
  
snarled.  
  
It took every ounce of strength Hermione had to restain herself from   
  
attacking Draco right then and there. That would only make the situation  
  
worse...if that was possible. Without a word, Hermione walked past   
  
Malfoy and locked herself in the bathroom.   
  
The bathroom was almost more magnificent than the bedroom. Hermione   
  
blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dazzling white surfaces of   
  
everything from the floor, to the walls, to the sinks and the   
  
toilet. The shower was made of glass that shimmered as the blinding   
  
light was reflected. But above all, the most spectacular sight was the  
  
bathtub. Gleaming a brilliant white, it sat in the middle of the room  
  
taking up a great amount of space with it's massive size. A beautiful   
  
gold border encircled the outside that also gave off a sensational   
  
sparkle.   
  
After admiring her new surroundings, Hermione walked over to the gold  
  
rimmed mirror that hung on the wall above the sink. Her eyes were red  
  
and swollen and her cheeks were still flushed with anger. Noting her  
  
helpless state caused more tears to well up in her large brown eyes.  
  
But this time, she didn't try to stop the steady flow. Not knowing   
  
what else to do, she sat on the edge of the bathtub and cried.  
  
Hermione had never felt so alone. There was no one there to comfort   
  
her, no one to hold her as she let the tears fall. Hermione burried her  
  
head in her hands and quietly sobbed until she couldn't cry any more.  
  
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Hermione didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, she just knew   
  
she couldn't remain there any longer. After wiping her eyes and regaining  
  
control of her emotions, she slowly stood and turned towards the door.   
  
Hermione couldn't believe what she saw. There, in the doorway, stood   
  
Draco Malfoy.   
  
Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment as she remained frozen and at a  
  
loss for words. Hermione and Draco just stood staring at eachother for   
  
a moment, eyes locked. Though no words were spoken, they both seemed  
  
to understand eachother for the first time. As she gazed into his  
  
silver eyes, she didn't see malevolence. The hate in his eyes wasn't  
  
there but instead was replaced with an emotion Hermione thought for  
  
a second was sympathy. Still not breaking the eye contact, Hermione   
  
drew in a long breath and found her voice.  
  
"You win," she said simply, and with that she pushed past Malfoy who  
  
stood silently in the doorway trying to find a motive for what he  
  
had just done.  
  
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All right so that chapter was kinda short but it had a lot of detail   
  
that went into it so...yeah. Tell me what you think by REVIEWING PLEASE!  
  
Reviewing only takes a minute and I would MUCH APRECIATE IT! They make   
  
my day! And if you think it sucks, tell me how i can make it better!  
  
I think I'm done...so get reviewing! 


	3. Retaliation

A/N: Hey, it's me again. Thanks to those of you who reviewed...it's great to know that people are actually reading (and enjoying!) what I'm writing...so keep reviewing and let me know if you think it's good or if it sucks or whatever...just read and review, please!! I don't have too much pride to beg so....REVIEW! All right, that's all for me..now on with the story!   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in the following story but they ARE on my Christmas wish list....  
  
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Last chapter:  
  
"You win," she said simply, and with that she pushed past Malfoy who  
  
stood silently in the doorway trying to find a motive for what he  
  
had just done.  
  
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Hermione's eyes fluttered open as the sun radiantly beamed through the window. Her head ached as she tried to recall what happened the previous night. She thought she remembered something about crying in a bathroom, and then something about Malfoy, but none of it was coherent.  
  
"Must have just been a dream," she thought with relief as she began to drift back to sleep. But an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach snapped Hermione awake. Where was she? This definitly wasn't her bed. As she came to her senses, she realized she wasn't on a bed at all, but instead on a dark red couch that seemed oddly familiar. She slowly brought herself to an upright position as the dull pain grew in her head. Hermione looked around and her eyes came to rest on the figure sleeping on the bed in the opposite corner of the room. Images from the previous night rushed back to her as she suddenly realized where she was and what she was doing there. Hermione's heart sank as she knew she was living a nightmare.   
  
After taking a quick shower and grabbing her books, Hermione hurried out of the room and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Predictably, her two best friends sat at the Gryffindor Table and waved her over when they noticed her arrival.   
  
"'Morning, Mione!" Harry exclaimed all too cheerfully. "How was your night? Is the room as great as I've heard it is?"   
  
"Yeah," Hermione said with a slight smile. "It's beautiful." Harry and Ron exchanged glances. They knew their friend well enough to assume something was wrong.  
  
"What's the matter?" Ron asked with concern. Hermione sighed. She didn't really want to talk about it, but they would find out sooner or later so there was no point in hiding it.  
  
"Well, the Head Boy has to share the room with the Head Girl," Hermione said simply, hoping they could figure out who the Head Boy was on their own. By the confused looks on their faces, it was obvious they didn't know what she was talking about.  
  
"Nevermind," Hermione said as she continued to pick at the food in front of her. "What classes do you guys have?" She quickly asked, trying to change the subject.  
  
"I've got potions first," Ron heaved a deep sigh.  
  
"Me too," Harry said. "So we both get to wake up to Snape's face every morning. That's wonderful," He added sarcastically. Hermione's eyes scanned her paper for her first class. Not surprisingly, she realized it was potions, as well.  
  
"Could this year get any worse?" Hermione muttered to herself as she wondered if she would make it through the day alive.  
  
"Well, we might as well go," Harry said dully. Ron and Hermione quietly agreed as they followed Harry out of the Great Hall.  
  
The uncomfortable silence followed them all the way down to Snape's dungeon. Just as he was about to open the heavy door, a cold voice made him stop.   
  
"What a surprise," The voice sneered. "It's Potter, Weasel, and Mudblood Granger!" Harry didn't even have to turn around before he knew who the voice belonged to.   
  
"Malfoy," Harry said sharply. "What do you want?"   
  
"Potter, I'd watch my tongue if I were you," Malfoy snapped. "You wouldn't want to go upsetting the Head Boy now, would you?" He pointed to the pin clearly visible on his robe. Harry and Ron just stood confounded. Malfoy was Head Boy? The thought throughly disgusted them.   
  
"I didn't think so. Now if you'd excuse me, I have a class to attend," Malfoy said, getting great satisfaction from the looks on their faces. He pushed past the boys who were still struggling for words and entered the classroom.  
  
"What did that slimy git do to deserve to be Head Boy?!" Ron exploded as soon as Malfoy was out of sight.  
  
"How could Dumbledore do this?" Harry wondered out loud.  
  
"I bet his father bought him the position," Ron growled. Harry burned with anger as he turned to face Hermione who hadn't said a word this whole time. He noticed for the first time the shiny Head Girl badge securly fastened to the front of her black robe.  
  
"Hermione," He said suddenly as he made the connection he was oblivious to before. "You don't have to share a room with him, do you?" Hermione nodded miserably, yet somewhat relieved that they finally understood. Ron's face twisted into a look of horror.  
  
"Wow, 'Moine, that's terrible!" Ron said sympathetically. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"There's nothing I can do! But I will not let him get to me, that's for sure," Hermione said firmly, yet only half believing herself.  
  
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Entering the classroom, they faced a large group of students waiting silently for class to begin. Almost all the seats were filled, yet silence sat heavily in the air as no one dared to speak. They walked to their usual table in the back of the room, but someone stopped them before they could take their seats.  
  
"No, no," a voice said, directing their attention to the front of the room. Harry noticed Snape for the first time standing up at the board. "I think it's time for a bit of a change. Yes, change is good," he said softly. Harry, Ron and Hermione waited for him to continue.   
  
"Weasley, come sit next to Miss Brown," Snape began as Ron's spirits lifted, and he gladly took his spot next to Lavender. "Potter," He said as his lips curled. Harry glared back, knowing full well that this wasn't going to be good. "There's an empty seat next to Pansy Parkinson that looks perfect for you."  
  
Harry sighed, knowing better than to argue. ''Pansy' and 'perfect' are two words that never belong in the same sentence,' Harry thought to himself as he slumped into the chair next to Pansy. She made a noise of disgust and quickly began moving her chair as far away from Harry as she could.   
  
"That leaves us with Miss Granger," Snape drawled. Hermione's eyes darted around the room as she searched for an empty seat. There was one next to Padma Patil and another next to Hannah Abbott. Hermione gave a slight sigh of relief as she wouldn't mind sitting next to either girl.  
  
"Ah yes," Snape continued after a minute of thought. "You may go sit next to Draco. It's only right for the Head Boy and Head girl to work together, don't you think?"   
  
A quick surge of panic flared in the pit of Hermione's stomach as her eyes rested on the seat next to Malfoy that she had previously overlooked. Malfoy rolled his eyes as he lazily removed his feet from the chair now assigned to Hermione which he has been using as a footrest. She sunk slolwy into the chair, praying silently that things would get better from here. Hermione didn't think they could get much worse.  
  
Snape began his first lecture which seemed to get more and more irksome every year. Hermione tried to focus but was distracted by Malfoy who incessantly tapped his fingers lightly on the table, obviously not paying attention to Snape.  
  
"Stop tapping," She demanded quietly.  
  
"Shut up, Granger," came the prompt reply.  
  
"I'll shut up when you stop tapping, Malfoy," she whispered back.  
  
"And I'll stop tapping when you shut up," he said causing a few students to turn around and stare. Snape stopped his lecture momentarily to address the two sitting in the back.  
  
"Is there a problem, Draco?" Snape questioned.  
  
"No, sir," He obediently answered.  
  
"Good," Snape said and continued his lecture. Anger and embarrassment flashed through Draco's eyes as he turned his hard glare towards Hermione.  
  
"You better shut up if you know what's good for you," he whispered threateningly. Hermione glowered back as she looked into his dangerous steel eyes. Her mind thought back to the previous night. She couldn't ever imagine eyes like that showing signs of anything kind, especially sympathy. 'I must have just imagined it,' she thought to herself with a slight twinge of disappointment. Hermione's attention was once again directed towards Snape as she tried to ignore the ceasless tapping that Malfoy refused to give up.  
  
"You will now begin the first potion of the year," Snape announced. "It's called the Draught of Intuition, a fairly complex potion that if done properly will cause you to gain a better understanding of the person sitting next to you." Hermione realized now why she had been assigned a seat next to Malfoy, but why did Snape want them to understand eachother? It didn't make any sense. Hermione heard Malfoy give a small laugh as he thought about what an absurd idea this was. Malfoy understand a mudblood? Impossible.  
  
"The directions will be on the board and you must follow them carefully. If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients, more will be shared than what is needed and your partner will have access to your deepest desires and most inner thoughts. Ingredients are located in the storage cupboard as always. I will give you one hour...you may begin."  
  
Students immediatly began to gather supplies as a low murmur filled the room. Hermione and Malfoy sat motionless in the back of the room.  
  
"Are you going to get the ingredients?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No," Malfoy replied simply. Frustrated and not wanting to waste any time, Hermione got up and walked to the cupboard. With a handful of bottles and bags, she made her way back to the table. But just as she was putting the supplies down, one of the bags filled with a green liquid suddenly exploded. Instantly, the snot-like contents formred an even layer over both of their faces. Seeing Malfoy in such an embarrassing position, Hermione's first instinct was to laugh. He quickly wiped the worst of it out of his eyes, then harshly grabbed Hermione's arm.   
  
"You stupid bitch!" He snarled, closer now to Hermione than ever before.  
  
"Maybe if you got off your lazy ass to help me," She snapped back, trying to shake her arm free of his strong grip.  
  
"Do not start blaming this one on me, you fucking mudblood!" Malfoy roared.  
  
Without thinking, Hermione used the arm Malfoy wasn't grasping and slapped him hard across the face. He staggered back slightly and released her arm, rubbing the green liquid off of his cheek as his pale skin quickly reddened. For once, Malfoy stood speechless, staring with astonishment at the girl in front of him as her wide eyes burned with anger. No one ever had the guts to stand up to Malfoy, and for a second, he was impressed. She obviously wasn't the spineless mudblood he thought she was. Taking this as a challenge, Malfoy smirked as amusement glistened in his eyes. But before he could do anything else, a dangerously quiet voice from the front of the room stopped him.  
  
"That's ten points from Gryffindor and ten from Slytherin. You both will get detention for the next week, also, for your childish behavior," announced Snape. Hermione and Draco both opened their mouths to protest but knew there was no sense in arguing. Hermione looked around at all the confused expressions on the other students' faces as they tried to believe what they had just witnessed.   
  
"Get back to work," Snape demanded as everyone's attention was once again directed towards the board. Snape to the back of the room and stopped in front of Hermione and Draco. With a quick flick of his wand, all the ingredients once on the table had vanished and instead was replaced with towels.   
  
"So we fail the assignment?" Hermione questioned, dreading the answer.  
  
"No," Snape replied nonchalantly. "You will be doing the assignment during detention tomorow evening. Now I suggest you take these towels and clean up the mess. That goes for you, too, Draco. His cold glare was set on Draco, but Draco refused to look. He grabbed the towel and began wiping the green liquid off of his face and Hermione did the same. Neither said a word as they spent the rest of the time cleaning the snot-like liquid off of their faces and wondering what had just happened.   
  
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A/N: Okay so what did you think? REVIEW PLEASE, IT MAKES ME HAPPY!! and even if you think it totally sucks i still want to hear from you..so just let me know what you think and i'll continue the story! And if you have any suggestions as to what you think should happen, let me know and i'll somehow add that in using my oh so creative skills..anyways, I think i'm done for now...later! 


	4. Bottoms Up

A/N: Hey again...I'll start this the same way i've started all the other chapters - by thanking the few especially cool people who have reviewed. Reviewing only takes a minute and is much appreciated..so review, please! Okay onward and forward...chapter 4!  
  
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Last Chapter:  
  
Neither said a word as they spent the rest of the time cleaning the snot-like liquid off of their faces and wondering what had just happened.   
  
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Hermione sighed as she glanced nervously at the clock. Gazing back down at the open book in front of her, Hermione attempted to finish the last of her Divination homework. Her neck ached from another uncomfortable night spent on the couch and her stomach grumbled with hunger as she hadn't eaten much all day. But Hermione had her mind set on something much more important; detention with Snape was set to begin in five minutes and she still had homework to finish. Without much of a choice, Hermione left her books on the desk and began the long walk down to the dungeons.  
  
Arriving a little early, Hermione entered the empty room and took a seat in the front. Within a moment, the door opened again and Malfoy stumbled into the room out of breath. He didn't have his robes on, as he had just come from Quidditch practice. Instead, he wore a dirty white undershirt and a pair of loose fitting jeans with grass stains on the knees. The shirt showed off strong, muscular arms that Hermione had never taken note of before. She drew in a quick breath as she admired his silvery blond hair which fell freely into his face, framing his glistening grey eyes.   
  
"Okay, so I can see why everyone thinks he's so hot," Hermione admitted to herself. "But that still doesn't make him any less of an asshole," She thought a second later as a broad smirk apeared on his face.  
  
"Like what you see, Granger?" He questioned, breaking the silence. Hermione's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she glanced down at the empty table in front of her.   
  
"Get over yourself, Malfoy," she muttered. Malfoy snorted as he took the seat next to Hermione. She shuddered as he leaned close to her face.  
  
"What do you want from me?" She asked, voice shaking nervously.  
  
"The question isn't what I want, Granger, it's what you want. And I know what you want....me." He was so close now, Hermione could feel his warm breath tickle her ear. What was he getting at? Why was he doing this? So many questions filled her mind at one time, her head was spinning. Hermione didn't even process his words before he continued.   
  
"Well take a good look, mudblood because this is the closest you're ever going to get," He whispered harshly as a tingle shot down Hermione's spine. But before she could react, the dungeon door opened and in marched Snape, looking especially exausted and irritated. Malfoy immediately backed off as he noted Snape's presence, but Snape was too engrossed in his own thoughts to even care.   
  
"As you know, you will be completing the Draught of Understanding during this detention. You also know that you have been sent here because of your childish behavior and inability to cooperate with eachother. If any of that continues, other consequences will soon follow." He said sternly. "The directions will be on the board and you will have the next hour to complete the potion. Faliure to complete means failure of the assignment, and I know that neither of you want that," He said with a smirk. "So if there are no questions...begin."   
  
With that, the board filled with the directions they had seen the day before. The supply cupboard swiftly opened as Hermione stood up to gather the ingredients. But before she could get anywhere, a firm hand pushed her back into her seat.  
  
"You sit. I'll get the supplies. We wouldn't want you screwing this up for us like you did the last time," Malfoy sneered. Hermione didn't object as he walked to the cabinet.   
  
He returned a moment later effortlesly carrying a wide assortment of jars and bags and gently placed them down on the table. Hermione studied the board carefully before declaring, "We need a pinch of moonstone."   
  
"Then why don't you get it?" Malfoy drawled.   
  
"Because it's closer to you," Hermione said, obviously irritated.  
  
"So what? Get off your lazy ass and get it yourself," He retorted. Hermione's flushed cheeks grew hot as she glared at Malfoy. He smirked back, daring her to speak. Hermione's frustration overtook her insecurities; she had had enough.  
  
"Listen, Ferret Boy, I don't know what games you are trying to play but you better cut the crap. I am done putting up with this shit, and I will not let you get in the way of me acing this project. I'm sure you want to finish just as much as I do and the only way we're going to get that done is if you stop being such an asshole and help me out here. That's all I ask. Then tomorow you can go back to making my life a living Hell, but for now just cooperate and hand me the damn Moonstone!" She fumed.  
  
Malfoy gaped at Hermione for a long moment. His first instinct was to explode. No Mudblood could retaliate against a Malfoy and get away with it twice. But at the same time, he was impressed by her unexpected behavior. This was a completely different side of Hermione that Malfoy never thought was there. Actually now that he thought about it, Malfoy realized he liked this side of Hermione much more than the bookish know-it-all he had grown to hate over the years. Too many thoughts spun through his head at once as he reached for the Moonstone and gingerly placed a pinch into the cauldron without a word.  
  
Now it was Hermione's turn to stare. Had she really told Malfoy what to do? Even more shocking, did he really just obey without argument? Enervated, Hermione tried to hide her astonishment. With a small cough, her attention was once again directed to the task before them.  
  
"A handful of Hellebore," Hermione read off the list as Malfoy dug his hand into the bag. But just as he was scooping out a handful, he remembered something Snape had said the previous day. If he used more than the required ingredients, he could get any information he wanted out of Hermione and she couldn't do a thing about it. With just an extra bit of this, and a drop more of that, Malfoy could have access to all of Hermione's deepest and darkest secrets. It was that easy. Without thinking twice, he took two handfulls of Helebore and quickly added them into the concoction.  
  
A half hour later, an especially full cauldron sat bubbling before the weary students. Malfoy stared at the green mixture, trying to determine if it smelled worse that it looked.   
  
"Professor, we're done," Hermione announced.  
  
"What color is it?" Snape questioned insouciantly.  
  
"Green, Sir," Malfoy looked as though he was going to be sick. "Very green."  
  
"All right then, drink up," Snape ordered. With a flick of his wand, two small cups appeared on the table. Hermione and Malfoy exchanged perplexed glances.   
  
"Then what, Professor?" Hermione finally asked uncertainly. Snape finally looked up and stared hard at the two students as though noticing them for the first time. He gave an exasperated sigh as he walked over to their table.  
  
"Sit here," Snape said as he pointed to Hermione. She quietly obeyed, not daring to question him. Snape placed a chair on the other side of the table.  
  
"You sit here," Snape said simply to Malfoy as he took the spot facing Hermione. Without a word, Snape took the two cups and filled them with the green slush. Impatiently, he placed one cup in front of Hermione and one in front of Malfoy before returning to his seat at the front of the room. Malfoy shrugged as he indecisively picked up his cup.  
  
"Here goes nothing," He muttered as he plugged his nose and raised the cup to his lips.   
  
"Wait!" Hermione cried before Malfoy could taste the vile liquid. "Are you actually going to drink that?"  
  
"Well what do you suggest I do with it, Granger?" He drawled.  
  
"You don't even know what's going to happen when you drink that. We might have messed something up. Something could go wrong. Don't you care?" Hermione asked with real concern.  
  
"Sometimes it's the risk that makes the experience worthwhile," He said with a smirk. Hermione glanced nervously around the room, trying to make up her mind. Finding no easy way out, Hermione sighed as she glared at Malfoy. His eyes danced with amusment as he waited. Taking in a deep breath, she swiftly picked up the foul mixture that bubbled before her.  
  
"Let's get this over with," She said hopelessly. Malfoy smiled as he raised his glass.  
  
"Cheers!" He announced mirthfully as he gently touched Hermione's cup with his own. Hermione laughed softly and looked on with disgust as Malfoy tilted his head back and quickly swallowed the awful liquid without hesitation.   
  
'He's either extremly brave or extremely stupid,' Hermione thought to herself as she watched him in awe. 'Same difference,' She added, tipping her head back and waiting for the sludge to fall down her throat.  
  
Hermione had tasted her fair share of disgusting things in her life, but this had to be the worst. It had the consistency of a milkshake and Hermione could feel it slowly creep all the way down to her stomach. Nausiatingly warm, the repulsive smell was nothing compared to the disgusting taste. Hermione fought back tears as she forced it down. After what seemed like eternity, all contents of the once full cup sat uneaisly in Hermione's queasy stomach.   
  
A blistering pain struck Hermione's head as she slowly opened her eyes. Around her, everything spun as Hermione searched desperately for something to focus on. Her stomach lurched violently as a black mist clouded her vision. Helplessly, she tried to scream, only to find she couldn't. Suddenly, an object became visible in the thick haze. The pain in Hermione's head began to lessen as the object came into view. Now Hermione could make out the figure of a man walking slowly towards her through the black cloud. But who was it? Hermione couldn't tell. Hermione's blaring headache subsided to a dull pain as his features became more perceptible. The man stood a few feet away, his silver eyes shining through the darkness. Hermione knew now that the man before her was Malfoy. For a moment, everything stopped spinning and Hermione stood motionless, eyes locked with Malfoy's. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak. She could only stand and watch as Malfoy came nearer. Without warning, Hermione felt her legs begin to move her forward without her control.  
  
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A/N: Bahaha no more for you! GO REVIEW and then you'll get to see what happens next...I promise it'll be good, too! Tell me if it sucks and I'll do somethin about that...JUST REVIEW PLEASE! As any author knows, reviews are greatly appreciated, even if they are bad reviews!! So you're wasting precious time reading this..GO REVIEW!!   
  
-Me- 


	5. Spinning

Hey, it's me again. I think we need to have a very serious discussion. An ideal fan fiction fanatic reads a story and then leaves a review telling the author what they thought about what they had just read. With this review, the author can make the necessary changes to improve their story. Aparently, many of you don't understand that seeing as not very many have reviewed. Will it help if I mention one more time that even if you think my story sucks, you should still leave a review so that I can make the changes that will make my story better?? Well, anyawys after this chapter, I hope more of you will review. I'm very glad we had this chat. Heh..okay so now...CHAPTER 5!!   
  
Oh and by the way...I changed the name of the story because it seems to make more sense after this chapter...  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, but I would like to know how much it would be to buy Malfoy on Ebay..  
  
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A blistering pain struck Hermione's head as she slowly opened her eyes. Around her, everything spun as Hermione searched desperately for something to focus on. Her stomach lurched violently as a black mist clouded her vision. Helplessly, she tried to scream, only to find she couldn't. Suddenly, an object became visible in the thick haze. The pain in Hermione's head began to lessen as the object came into view. Now Hermione could make out the figure of a man walking slowly towards her through the black cloud. But who was it? Hermione couldn't tell. Hermione's blaring headache subsided to a dull pain as his features became more perceptible. The man stood a few feet away, his silver eyes shining through the darkness. Hermione knew now that the man before her was Malfoy. For a moment, everything stopped spinning and Hermione stood motionless, eyes locked with Malfoy's. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak. She could only stand and watch as Malfoy came nearer. Without warning, Hermione felt her legs begin to move her forward without her control.  
  
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Hermione mechanically walked forward, though her mind screamed to turn back. It seemed Malfoy's shining eyes were the force that was pulling her near, as Hermione found it impossible to look away. Faster, she proceeded helplessly into the suffocating haze. Only inches away, she tried to stop her steady pace, but it was no use. Hermione braced herself for a painful collision. Fearing the worst and eyes shut tight, she ran into Malfoy at a dizzying speed. But the pain never came. Instead, a cold chill ran up Hermione's spine as her toes went numb. She couldn't remember a time when she had ever felt this cold in her life. The temporary freeze only lasted a moment before a warm gust of wind encircled the motionless Hermione. Swirling faster and faster with every passing second, the dark cloud spun in a sensless circle as Hermione stood helplessly trapped in the middle. Once more, she tried to call for help but it was pointless. Even if she could scream, there was no one to hear her anyways. Hermione was alone.   
  
Suddenly, the whirling motion ceased, and Hermione found herself standing in a room she had never seen before. The room was dark and gloomy as heavy black drapes hung dismally from two enormous windows on the opposite wall. A large oak bureau loomed in one corner next to an ample sized green box. Hermione jumped as a faint noise was heard from the corner furthest from her. Barely breathing, Hermione stood silently, unsure if she had actually heard the barely audible sound. Again, a muted rustling came quietly from the darkened corner. Someone was in the room with Hermione.  
  
Too afraid to move, Hermione stood listening for another moment. Soon, she recognized the odd noise as something she was very familiar with: the muffled sobs of a child. Hermione felt a pang of empathy for the child as many questions filled her head at once. Who was this kid and what was wrong? Almost instinctively, she walked slowly towards the crying child. As she approached the corner, Hermione could now make out the silhouette of a tremendous bed that was hardly visible in the dark. A young boy sat on the bed shaking, head burried in his trembling arms. Hermione wanted desperately to hold the boy and assure him everything was going to be all right. She hesitantly reached her arm out to touch him but before her hand reached his shoulder, his head snapped up as he gasped. A flash of blonde shone for an instant in the miniscule spot of light emitting from the small hole in the drapes. Hermione took a fast step back as her hand quickly covered her open mouth. Her eyes grew wide as they met the silver ones that stared back at her in the near darkness. Tears poured silently from his eyes as he looked at her helplessly. Hermione swiftly retreated, searching desperately for an escape. Without warning, the door shot open as light from the hallway illuminated the room.  
  
"Help me!" The boy pleaded in a whisper as a tall man stormed furiously into the room. His mussy blonde hair hung loosely in his face, and his blue eyes blazed with rage. In one swift movement, he lifted the small child up and punched him brutally in the chest. Hermione winced as she watched frozen in horror. The boy screamed in pain as he was then thrown recklessly to the floor. The man showed no signs of stopping as he vigorously kicked the shrieking child. Aparently satisfied, the man towered over the helpless boy who lay sobbing in a crumpled heap at his feet.   
  
"That should teach you, boy," He spoke in a harsh whisper.   
  
"I'm...sor...sorry, father," the boy wheezed, struggling for air.   
  
"Oh, I'll make sure you're sorry. I don't know what made you think your actions were acceptable. There is no way in Hell I am having my only child interact with Mudbloods! You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name, son," The man made a disgusted noise. "I'm ashamed to even call you my son."   
  
"I love you, father," the boy cried desperately. The man's harsh expression didn't falter.   
  
"Love is a curse," He spat as he turned and marched out of the room, leaving the boy sobbing alone on the floor.   
  
Hermione stood watching this one-sided battle from the corner, paralyzed with shock and terror. Just as the feeling began to return to her fingers, a warm gust of wind brushed swiftly by her feet. Again Hermione found herself in the middle of a whirlwind, twirling uncontrolably. She shut her eyes tightly, unsure of what was to come. Suddenly, the spinning ceased and Hermione found herself on solid ground once more.   
  
Hermione knew where she was this time even before she opened her eyes. The busy chatter of people, the always delicious smell; This had to be the Great Hall. Verifying her assumption, Hermione found herself sitting at a long table in the midst of the Great Hall. But it wasn't her usual spot at the Gryffindor Table. As she looked around, she realized she was on the other side at the Slytherin Table. She noticed Crabbe and Goyle sitting directly in front of her, and Pansy Parkinson was on her left. That left only one person to find: Malfoy.   
  
"Hey Draco," Crabbe muttered, mouth full. "Are you going to eat that?"   
  
Who was he talking to? Malfoy was no where to be found, yet Crabbe was talking as if he were there. Hermione felt her head nod as she mechanically picked up the muffin before her and ate it quickly.  
  
"You've already had two today, Crabbe. I saw you steal Pansy's," Hermione said, but when she spoke, it wasn't her voice. Her hand brushed swiftly through her hair, but this was definitly not Hermione's hair. This hair was shorter and smoother and was plastered uncomfortably to her head.   
  
"I swear, the more that dumbass eats, the thicker he gets," She heard a voice say quietly. But who said that? It certainly wasn't Pansy, who couldn't whisper to save her life. It sounded like Malfoy, but why didn't Pansy hear him say that? She hung on his every word, and for her not to giggle obnoxiously at a comment like that was very unusual.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione realized what was going on. Her mind was stuck in Malfoy's body, and while she couldn't control his movements, she could hear his thoughts. She was seeing through his eyes and listening to his thoughts. Hermione began to panic; she had absolutely no control and there was no escape. Malfoy looked around the room as if searching for something. His eyes landed on a certain trio at the Gryffindor Table. Hermione recognized herself sitting next to Harry and Ron. Naturally, Ron had a goofy grin spread across his face and Harry looked back at him with a doubtful glace. Hermione watched her own expression go from deep concentration to a broad smile as she and Harry both laughed.   
  
'Ron must be telling jokes again,' Hermione thought to herself, but her own thoughts were interrupted by Malfoy's, which she could now hear distinctly.  
  
'Friends - who needs them?' Came the clear voice. But Hermione could hear a smaller voice, too, which was meerly a whisper.  
  
"I do," It said as a pang of jealousy settled uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. The jealousy was overridden by anger though, as the louder voice once again took control.  
  
"I do not need friends! Friends would just be a waste of my precious time anyways," The voice argued. Though quiet, the second voice was still audible.  
  
"You're just upset because no one loves you," It said softly.   
  
"Love is a curse," The louder voice snapped. Before Hermione could process her own thoughts, she felt the familiar rush of air go by her feet. The wind surrounded her once more as she shut her eyes tightly and didn't open them until she was still again.   
  
When she landed this time, the room was silent as she hesitently opened her eyes. She adjusted to the dim lights of the dungeon and realized she was back where she started. Her dark eyes finally met the silver ones that stared at her from across the table. Looking at Malfoy now, Hermione felt something she couldn't define. It was a type of understanding, a feeling of sympathy. But it went deeper than that. This was beyond any feeling she could comprehend. Her head ached as she tried to think clearly. She attempted to recall the evening's events, but they seemed so distant and unreal. Suddenly, she remembered hearing something that made it all fresh in her mind: Love is a curse. A single tear formed and rolled silently down Hermione's cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry," She whispered. Hermione quickly stood up and hurried out of the room without looking back.  
  
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A/N: Ooookay! That's all you get for now...If you review, I'll continue. If not, I fear you may never know what happens...and wouldn't that be tragic? So please please review and I hope you like the story so far! Hope to write more soon...  
  
-Me- 


	6. Understanding

A/N: Heeey again! I would like to thank those who reviewed for all the nice comments I got...It's so great to hear such wonderful feedback from you people! So keep the reviews coming! Oh and I'm sorry I haven't updated in a really really long time...I've been extra busy and all..But enough of my rambling, here's chapter 6!  
  
As if I haven't said it enough...I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters all though they are on my christmas list...  
  
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When she landed this time, the room was silent as she hesitently opened her eyes. She adjusted to the dim lights of the dungeon and realized she was back where she started. Her dark eyes finally met the silver ones that stared at her from across the table. Looking at Malfoy now, Hermione felt something she couldn't define. It was a type of understanding, a feeling of sympathy. But it went deeper than that. This was beyond any feeling she could comprehend. Her head ached as she tried to think clearly. She attempted to recall the evening's events, but they seemed so distant and unreal. Suddenly, she remembered hearing something that made it all fresh in her mind: Love is a curse. A single tear formed and rolled silently down Hermione's cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry," She whispered. Hermione quickly stood up and hurried out of the room without looking back.  
  
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Hermione's thoughts spun wildly as she ran up the endless flights of stairs. An overwhelming feeling sat heavily in Hermione's chest as her head throbbed painfully. Hot tears blurring her vision, Hermione tried to escape. Escape from Malfoy, escape from her mind. Finally, she reached her room and managed to drag herself in before collapsing on the couch.   
  
Hermione didn't know how long she lay there deluged in tears but as she sat up, she found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy once more. He sat quietly on the couch opposite Hermione and she wasn't the least bit surprised to find him there. His eyes were calm and still as they appeared to see into her very soul. For a long while, they sat there staring until Draco finally spoke.  
  
"What did you see?" He asked softly.   
  
"You..and then your father...and he...why? How could he?" Hermione tried desperately to pull her thoughts into sentences.   
  
"My father never loved me. In his eyes, I am nothing but a disgrace to the Malfoy name. All I wanted to do was make him proud, but I could never do anything right. I could only talk to people that he approved of and talking to a mudblood would guarantee me a malicious punishment. Sometimes I wouldn't even have to do anything wrong to get a painful thrashing, so I constantly lived in fear."   
  
Draco finished as his gaze returned again on Hermione. She looked as if she was going to say something, but then quickly dismissed the thought.  
  
"That's not all you saw, though," Draco said as if reading her mind.  
  
"No," Hermione lowered her eyes. "You don't have friends that care about you, either."  
  
"I don't need friends," Draco retorted.  
  
"Yes," Hermione cut in before Draco could continue. "You do. It's because of your father that you feel you can't trust anyone and that's not fair. It's about time that you stopped listening to all of your father's twisted views and started speaking with your heart."   
  
Again it was silent. But suddenly, a startling thought occurred to Hermione.   
  
"If I saw all of that, what did you see?" She asked, not sure if she wanted the answer. Draco lowered his head, but remained quiet.  
  
"Draco?" Hermione pleaded softly. He sighed.  
  
"I could feel your emotions, I could hear your thoughts. From your eyes I saw me. I was torturing you, saying things I didn't mean. And you just stood defenseless and alone, wondering what you did to deserve this. And then I realized why that emotion was so familiar to me; The same kind of fear I felt for my father you felt for me."   
  
Hermione didn't know what to say. So much had happened in this one night, so much was learned. It all seemed so unreal. But what happened next made Hermione almost positive that this was just some twisted dream.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He had said it so quietly, Hermione wondered if it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Had Draco Malfoy just apologized for years of torment? Had he finally realized how much pain his words had caused? It seemed near impossible, but as Hermione saw the sympathy and regret that filled his eyes, she knew he really meant it. Perhaps this was the first time in his life that he had listened to his heart.   
  
At a loss for words, Hermione silently watched Draco walk over and stand just inches from where she sat. She gazed up at the figure that loomed over her, not knowing what to expect. Without a word, Draco leaned down and softly pressed his lips against hers. All thoughts escaped Hermione as a warm sensation captivated her mind and took over her body. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. But just as quickly as it had happened, it was over. He pulled back and looked deep in her eyes, searching her soul. As Hermione came to her senses, one question stood out in her mind.  
  
"Why did you do that?" She asked softly.  
  
"Because I knew you wouldn't," He quickly responded with a small smile. And with that he lifted Hermione and set her gently on the bed. She hadn't realized how late it was or how exausted she had become. Draco walked around to the other side of the bed and quietly lay down.   
  
"Goodnight, Hermione," He whispered and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Though Hermione's mind raced, exaustion quickly took over. She peacefully fell asleep where her dreams revolved around a certain boy with brilliant silver eyes.  
  
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As the first signs of a new day peeked through the curtains, Hermione eagerly awoke. The events of the previous night seemed so surreal, she wasn't sure if it was all just a dream. As she came to her senses, Hermione found herself laying in the giant bed and realized that the arm around her waist definitly wasn't hers. She carefully lifted Draco's hand and placed it gently on the bed as she rolled off and quietly walked to the bathroom. After showering and putting on her clean robes, Hermione walked back into the dim room. Draco was still soundly sleeping under piles of blankets and didn't even stir when Hermione opened the curtains to let the sun shine radiantly through the window. She smiled to herself as she walked over to the bed.   
  
"Draco, get up!" She demanded as she tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Still getting no response, Hermione leaned down and gently kissed his lips. 'I could get used to this,' she thought to herself as she pulled away.  
  
"Good morning to you, too," He smiled. "Give me a minute to get ready and we'll go down to breakfast."   
  
"What?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Something wrong?" Draco wondered, slightly confused.  
  
"We can't walk down there together. Do you know what people would say if they saw us together?" Hermione said worriedly.  
  
"Let them say what they want," Draco responded. "It doesn't matter to me." Hermione was growing frustrated with his laidback attitude.  
  
"Let's say someone sees us and tells your father? Then what? How would your father take that kind of news?" Hermione inquired. Draco wanted to object and say he didn't care what his father thought anymore, but he knew she was right. If Draco's father ever found out about their liaison, they would both be in serious danger.   
  
"All right," Draco finally agreed. "You go and I'll be down in a little bit." Hermione could sense his obvious disappointment.  
  
"Draco, I'm sorry. But there really isn't a whole lot anyone can do about it. It'll be better this way, I promise," Hermione assured him as she left for the Great Hall.  
  
Once there, she immediately found Harry and Ron and took the open seat across the table from them, facing the Slytherin Table.  
  
"Morning, 'Moine!" They both greeted her.  
  
"How was detention last night?" Harry asked glumly.   
  
"How do you think it was?" Hermione replied sarcastically. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione noticed Draco enter the Great Hall and take his usual seat at the Slytherin Table. She looked to see him quickly wink at her before handing his extra muffin to Crabbe. Hermione smiled briefly to herself as Ron and Harry exchanged glances.  
  
"Are you okay, Hermione?" Ron asked, slightly concerned.   
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Hermione responded, trying to hide her growing anxiety.  
  
"I don't know, you just seem especially cheerful this morning," Ron said, stating the obvious.  
  
"Yeah and one would think that after spending an hour in a room with Snape and Malfoy, you'd be miserable," Harry added. Ron nodded in agreement.   
  
"And another restless night on the couch while King Malfoy slept peacefully on his throne probably wouldn't help your less than happy mood," Ron said.   
  
Hermione blushed slightly, unsure of what to say. She had never been a good liar, and now was not the time to make excuses. Her eyes over to the Slytherin Table once more where she saw Draco staring right back at her. His captivating eyes held her gaze for a minute as her mind began to drift....  
  
"'Mione!" Harry's voice snapped Hermione back to reality.   
  
"What?" She questioned, angry at herself for making it so obvious.  
  
"What is going on?" Asked a frustrated Ron. Harry turned around to see what had caught Hermoine's attention. When he turned back to Hermione, his eyes were almost as big as his glasses.  
  
"Malfoy," Was all he managed to say. Ron furrowed his brows.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He asked, still confused.  
  
"It's Malfoy! She's sleeping with the enemy...literally!" Harry had it all figured out. Ron's face suddenly lit up and then twisted to a look of complete disgust.  
  
"Hermione, how could you?" He asked, apalled.   
  
"You have no proof of that!" Hermione protested. "Why would I do such a horrible thing? It's just crazy!" Harry shook his head in objection.  
  
"But it all makes sense. You spent an hour last night with him making the Draught of Understanding. The purpose of that potion was to learn something you didn't know about your partner. So you learned something about him that made him so attractive and irristible that you forgot about the pain he has caused us these last few years. Every cruel thing that he did, every tear that you cried all disappeared and you forgave him. You forgave the person who was making your life hell, and why? So he could use you like he uses every other girl in this school."   
  
"No!" Hermione hissed. "You're wrong! Just listen to yourself for a second. Do you know how crazy you sound?"  
  
"Doesn't sound so crazy to me," Ron admitted as the puzzle just began to come together in his head. Hermione's cheeks flushed with anger as she tried to keep control. She opened her mouth to protest once more, but Harry just shook his head.  
  
"How could you?" He spat, words full of pain and disgust. With that, he stood and motioned for Ron to follow. Together, they stormed out of the Great Hall leaving Hermione speechless and alone.  
  
She looked back at the Slytherin Table to see if Draco had seen anything. Sure enough, Hermione found him staring back at her. His silver eyes were once again filled with a deep sympathy as he noted the obvious pain in Hermione's eyes. Hermione quickly broke the gaze and stood up, leaving the Great Hall with a feeling of guilt settling uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach.  
  
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A/N: Phew! That was a long one! A lot went into writing that chapter, so I really hope you liked it. Now being the awesome reader that I know you are, You're going to go review now and tell me what you thought. Should I continue? It's up to you! So...go review and you will find out what happens! THE END (for now)... 


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